The Floating Island World
The world of Solarpunk consists of numerous islands floating among the clouds, each a unique micro-ecosystem. Islands are connected through airship travel, and the climate, resources, and danger levels vary dramatically between them. Understanding these differences and adjusting your strategy accordingly is key to successfully exploring the entire floating island world. The game world is not randomly generated — it's a carefully designed fixed map where every island has its unique coordinates and resource distribution.
The starting island is your launching point — a mild climate with low danger, perfect for learning basic operations and establishing your first base. As the game progresses, you'll repair and upgrade your airship to unlock increasingly advanced island regions. Each new biome brings unique challenges and opportunities: desert islands offer excellent solar conditions but severe water shortages, polar islands yield rare metals but are dangerously cold, and Skyridge Highlands provide the best resources in the most extreme environment.
This guide covers all known major island regions and biomes in the current version, organized by exploration order. Each entry includes climate characteristics, daylight length, danger level, and primary resource distribution — helping you prepare thoroughly before departure. Note that specific island resource distribution may adjust with game version updates; resource information on this page is aggregated from extensive community player exploration data and marked as "community estimates."
When exploring new islands, follow the principle: observe first, establish an outpost, then develop. Upon arriving at a new island, first set up a small outpost in a safe zone with basic power, water storage, and simple shelter. Let it run for a while to confirm environmental stability before deciding whether to make it your main base for large-scale development. Additionally, establishing regular logistics transport between islands is one of the most important infrastructure projects in late-game.
Biome Overview
Starting Island
Climate: Temperate
Daylight: 14 hours
Danger: Low
Main Resources: Wood, Stone, Fiber, Berries
The player's starting island with a mild climate and abundant but limited resource variety. Includes a complete newcomer tutorial area and basic ecosystem.
Grassland Archipelago
Climate: Temperate/Subtropical
Daylight: 13 hours
Danger: Low~Medium
Main Resources: Copper Ore, Iron Ore, Cotton, Dye Plants
An archipelago of medium-sized floating islands rich in mining resources — the critical stepping stone into the industrial era.
Desert Island
Climate: Hot & Dry
Daylight: 16 hours
Danger: Medium
Main Resources: Gold Ore, Silica Sand, Rare Minerals
Abundant sunshine but extreme water scarcity. Solar panel efficiency peaks here, but you'll need a complete water recycling system for long-term habitation.
Crystal Caverns
Climate: Constant Dark
Daylight: 0 hours
Danger: High
Main Resources: Crystal Ore, Rare Earth Elements, Ancient Relics
A new biome coming in the next major update. An underground cave environment with no natural light, completely dependent on artificial energy sources.
Polar Island
Climate: Frigid
Daylight: 8 hours
Danger: High
Main Resources: Rare Metals, Permafrost Crystals, Special Fibers
A high-latitude floating island region with extremely low temperatures, requiring advanced heating equipment and powerful energy systems. Unique resources are exclusive to this zone.
Skyridge Highlands
Climate: Volatile
Daylight: 12 hours
Danger: Extreme
Main Resources: Titanium Ore, Energy Core Fragments, Data Chips
The highest-tier floating island region unlocked in late game. Harsh environment but home to the most valuable resources. Only accessible with a fully upgraded airship.
Exploration Tips
On first arrival to any new biome, build a small outpost rather than relocating your main base immediately.
Bring at least 3 days' worth of food and water to new islands — surprises are far more common than you'd expect.
Day-night cycle lengths vary dramatically between islands — energy planning must be based on the actual daylight hours of your target island.
Establish complementary supply chains between desert and polar islands for maximum overall efficiency.
When exploring new areas, mark resource locations first to plan future gathering routes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I unlock new island regions?
New islands are unlocked through the airship system. The airship dock on your starting island needs to be repaired before use. After repairing your airship, you can travel to L2-tier Grassland Archipelago islands. To unlock higher-tier island regions, continuously upgrade your airship's engine system — each major engine upgrade unlocks a new island tier. We recommend prioritizing unlocking nearby, lower-danger islands first, accumulating resources before tackling advanced areas.
Does island climate affect crop growing?
Yes, and the impact is significant. Each island's climate conditions (temperature, daylight hours, humidity) directly affect crop growth speed and yield. For example, temperate islands suit most crops, desert islands have abundant sunlight but require heavy irrigation, and polar islands only support cold-resistant crops. You can leverage this by establishing specialized farms on different islands, maximizing the output efficiency of specific crops.
Which island should I build my main base on?
For most players, the starting island is the best choice for a main base. It has the mildest climate, the most complete ecosystem, and the largest buildable area. We recommend using the starting island as your central hub for living, farming, and basic production, while establishing specialized outposts (mining stations, energy stations) on other islands, funneling resources to the main base via airship logistics for processing. This "one hub, multiple outposts" layout has been proven the most efficient approach in practice.